The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-11

utaihiiS pNdNult anu kTdlHlUlnchS,
The natives are passionatcly fond of
their children, and the least indulgence to
their little ones wins their affections. In
this way the solitary wife had made her
self attached friends among her dusky
menials-thc only friends she had. Sud
denly the native started nervously on hear
ing the "Sahib' in the bungalow, and
with quick, but respectful, salaam to his
mistress, snatched up his little girl and
hurried away 10 his cook house. The coli
oncl, however had seen him leave the
veanda with the child, and the incident
was enough for his i'll temper.
lis there any tinn ready" he demand.
ed, rceling up TO where his wife sat
What has that fellow been doing here
with his black spawn2'
81 was giving the child some bangles, 4"
was the answer. 81 had promised them
before fell i'll"
'Banglesl Let me catch the brat and il
shall get something else, Dye hear me.
madam I'll have no moro philandering
with these niggcN the fellow would cut
your throat Ms soon ~ thank you and
serve YOU right"
"Col. IIumby emphasized what he said
by shaking his olcnchcd fist in his wiic's
face. She merely turned her head another
way. lie looked in a moro than usually
savage mood. and she brathcd more
freely when, after hall minutes pause
he walked away from where she sat She
hoped he would 20 in and throw himself
ON couch 10 sleep the 1T of. But he was
in q temper for mischief, and, instead OF
doing 50, he staggered over the compound
10 the cook house. MN. llumby held her
breath. There was n cry OF pain from the
poor cook, followed by scream from the
child, and Col. llumby Immediately APP
peared ut the door OF the cook-housc
actually dragging the little girl after him
10y the hair. At the door he swung her
round in front and flung the little body
from him with kick like football he.
fore picking the child from the ground the
cook stood moment regarding his master
with look which, drunk rs he was,
might have dono much To sober Col.
Humby had he seen il. hut he was on
his way back TO the house, and, 10y the
time tillin was laid for him, was lying on
his back asleep.
Col. llumby roso about $50 o'clock, had
some dinner 10y himself aud ultcrward sat
IN the Voranda smoking aud drinking
| brandy and water ior an hour Mrs.
| llumby was lying ON her bed dressed ut
about o o'clock when she heard her hus.
baud ~ into his own room and close the
door. At this point the mystery of the
event began. The cook his name wa,
Sinya lived in the native balar, some dis.
lance across the station, aud after
removing the dinner and perform.
ing the remaining duties Of the day. he
shut his cook-hOusc aud went home To see
after his child lie did not return again
until after the place had been burned, Nj
! that he was able 10 throw no light ON the
| origin ol the fire.
Tho kidmutgar dcposcd 10 pamllinC
lamps being burning In the drawing
pOm, the dinng.ruom aud in th,
| bedrooms oi Mn. llumhy aud hci
husband, This was the usual practice,
and except the dininguom lamp which
was vNtlnguishcd nj 10 o'clock they were
lvlt burning all night The lamp in Cot
llumhy's room WIS placed on table,
q distance OF several feet from the bed.
On the theory that hc hnd accidentally
overturned the lamp ANA thus originated
the fire, how was hi, position ON the bed
the position In which his charpd rc.
mains wpr' discovered Ia bc accounted
ipr' Only 10y assuming that, after over.
/ turning the lamp aud setting the iirn
/ nguing lac was too Supplied with brandy
| tu bc conscious of the accident ur tu hc
| aroused a. consciousness, hy the fierce illu
! which must have immediately cuVclupcd
him. Was u pnSsihlo2 nid the unluriu
nate man, alter upsclting the lamp, Stage
% his bed and lie thcrc inert Ia be- roasted
! Upon one point the khidmatgar was posi-
| tiyc-Col. llumhy never smoked IN his
bedroom. lie smoked little, ~ a rule.
hut never la his bedroom. The pus-ibil
/ iiy Ut the fire originating In this way was
consequently ont oi the question.
Mn. llumby, 10 has boon said, WIS lying
on her bed dressed. Some time between
. aud 10 O'Clock shc dropped asleep. She
! heard ~ sound from the direction VI Licr
| husband n apartment after b. CLOSED thr
| door liut she had not been long asleep
/ when she was startled into Nukclulu,s.
los q rough hand guupng her throat and
| choking hcf With The strength OF dcs.
| pnriiion she uttered % shurk NJ terror, and
| Then the hn ems relaxed their hold, the
| man rlshCl from the ruom and n volume
ul smoke poured IN Though the door M
| hr did sp
The simngcsl part Of the story wis hcr
| declaration reluctantly wrung from hcr
| by pressure oi repeated questioning that
| her aviillnt was her husband When
/ awakened 10y the hand upon her throat
/ the lamp in her room was cNtiuuiishrd
bat when hc turned outside the dor the
| glare Of thc iirc irll upon him, dressed In
| his every day suit Ol Scotch tweed, aud
| wearing his helmet with the grrcn and
| yellow puggirrc which WIS invariably
/ around a. Nu. llumby spmug from tho
bed aud hrd lur her life TO thc bungalow
ot Col. JACK, where she lcll lainting la tho
yCmndl.
10 was not for thrco OF four days that
Mn llumby could be induced Ia speak On
| the Occurrences OF the dreadful night, and
IL was only 10y pcf,nlcious persistence that
/ COL Jack obtained from her the foregoing
statement oi what she remembered. She
was not in the least mentally affected by
the shock. ms the ladies' had supposed her
~ be-. she spoke Ike one having n clear
/ mud reliable memory when she did speak.
/ Bat the simple AMI unaffected tcunrity
with which. when over and over ugiu
questioned IN every variety II way. she
/ hpli ~ the accuracy of that extraordinary
statement was literally siay rfing.
Of cUunso there wis no other topic 81
conversation IN Jnlabad now. Not u man
~ NJ doubted the entire and child.liko
lruihiunc.s Of Mn llumby. Bui, o..
rcpting her statement, We were confronted
with what looked 10 bo an unbelievable
mystery. No one denied that Col llumby
WIS capable oi numbering his unhappy
wife, that his murdcfous hngcr were lost.
cncd Va her throat was in itself possible
enough, assuming that the man WIS 10 in.
| ioNicl,cd ag Ia be- reckless of his own
safety. ilo had not completed the at.
tempted murder and the brnmlow was
ON fin at the time be- attempted II. Was
/ IL his h'gdish intention tlrit 10 stmnglo